Games of chance exist in a variety of forms wherein each game, while occasionally requiring some level of skill to improve a player's odds of winning, has some odds of winning associated with it. For example, the odds of obtaining a “full house” (e.g., 3 Aces and a pair of Twos) in a game of five card draw poker are roughly 700 to 1 and the odds of obtaining a “royal flush” are roughly 650,000 to 1. Slot machines are also games in which owners of the slot machines (i.e., the “house”) often advertise the odds of winning on their slot machines. For example, a casino may advertise that their slot machines payoff 97% of the time. While such is generally alluring to a player, the 97% chance of winning generally means that the casino is guaranteed to win 3% of all money deposited in their slot machines over time.
Other games of chance include Keno, lottery games, and Bingo which are based on the odds of a certain number being selected during a particular game. For example, in the so-called “US Bingo” (i.e., due to the manner in which it is played in the United States), each Bingo player is given a card marked with a grid containing a unique combination of numbers with the winning pattern on the card to be determined. On each turn, a caller randomly selects a numbered ball from a container and announces the number to all of the players. Each player then searches his or her card(s) for the called number, and if found, the player marks the number on the card corresponding to that ball. The selected ball is set aside so that it cannot be chosen again.
The caller continues to select and announce numbers until the first player forms the agreed pattern (e.g., one line, two lines, and “full house”) on their card and shouts out the name of the pattern or “Bingo”. Lines can generally be made horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. One of the most common patterns is called full card where the winning player is successful in marking all the numbers on the card. Other common patterns include single line, two lines, the four corners, centre cross, L, T, Y, postage stamp (i.e., 2×2 and in a corner) inner square (i.e., 4×4), roving square (i.e., 3×3), and roving kite (i.e., a 3×3 diamond). Inner squares, roving squares, and kites generally must be completely filled, with roving squares and kites being made anywhere on the card. Typically, the element of skill in the game regards the players' ability to search their card(s) for the called number in a relatively short time (i.e., before the next number is called).
In Keno, numbers are picked at a “Keno booth” to determine a winner in the game. “Keno runners” often walk around a casino offering number selection cards to anyone interested in playing. A Keno player generally chooses anywhere from 1 to 20 numbers and marks them on a Keno ticket of 80 numbers (i.e., 1 to 80). After picking numbers and recording them at the Keno booth, a Keno player watches a “big board” where winning Keno numbers light up or display on video monitors throughout the casino showing the selected numbers. For example, after the numbers of a particular game are chosen, a casino would draw 20 numbers at random. As the winning numbers light up, a player marks them on his or her card with a bright-colored marker. The player is paid out against his original wager based on how many numbers match the ones he marked on his ticket.